Table leveler



A. J. MATTER TABLE LEVELER Sept. 2, 1952 Filed June 25, 1948 Patented Sept. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLE LEVELER Albert J. Matter, Park Ridge, Ill.

Application June 25, 1948, Serial No. 35,101

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in table leveler and has for its object to provide means for preventing rocking of tables on uneven floors. Another object is to provide a means of this type which can be readily installed in the leg of a table by drilling one hole to receive it, and attaching one screw.

I attain these objects by means of the improvements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partially in cross section, showing the leveler assembly attached to a table leg.

Fig. 2 shows a bottom view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the lock-bar and foot plug showing them in locked position with the lock-bar horizontal.

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3 but shows the lockbar inclined downwardly in released position.

Like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

I indicates a table leg in which a hole 2 is bored for the reception of a cup shaped housing 3 perforated at 3a. and flanged at 312.

I shows a foot-plug adapted to slide freely in housing 3 and having preferably an enlarged head 4a. The foot-plug is threaded at 40 and counterbored at 4b to receive a coil spring 5 acting between the housing bottom and the bottom of the foot-plug counterbore to lightly force the foot-plug down outwardly of the housing. Such outward movement of the foot plug is limited by a screw 6 which passes through orifice 3a and is screwed tightly into foot-plug 4 at 40.

1 indicates a lock-bar having an angular bore at lb adapted to surround and grip foot-plug 4 when in horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3 and permit said foot-plug to slide therein when the lock-bar is inclined as shown in Fig. 4 when bore 1b is co-axial with foot-plug 4.

A W-shaped spring 8 having inturned ends 80!. and a central attaching eye at 8b is attached to table leg I by a holding-plate 9 and screw 10 with spring end 8a engaging the under-side of lock-bar 1 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This spring is preferably stronger than coil spring 5 and holds lock-bar 1 in horizontal locked position until pressure is applied at la.

Holding-plate 9 is provided with downwardly extending guide-ears 9a which hold the adjacent end of lock-bar l in the position shown in Fig. 2'. Holding-plate 9 also serves to engage housing flange 3b to hold the housing in place and further serves as a fulcrum for the overlapping end of lock-bar I.

In operation the leveler is attached to one leg of a table which is shorter than the rest of the legs although two or more levelers may be used on a table. If preferred, gliders may be attached to the other legs to provide a short leg for the leveler.

'When pressure is applied at 1a and the table is tilted to rest evenly on the other legs foot plug 4 will be released to rest on the floor in its proper position. Release of pressure at 1a will lock the plug in this position and prevent the table rocking. Lock bar I may be easily operated by foot pressure.

Locking plates having holes bored at a right angle to the surface of the plate will look only when in an inclined position and are free when level on a vertical shaft. This requires more space between the bottom of the table leg and the foot plug end and is undesirable for that reason. To overcome this undesirable feature I have provided an inclined bore which permits the lock-bar to lock in horizontal position at right angles to the axis of the foot-plug.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a cup-shaped housing wholly insertable in the bottom of a table leg or base, a foot-plug slideably mounted therein, a lock-bar having an orifice surrounding said footplug and fulcrumed at one end, a W-shaped spring having inturned ends disposed to press against the underside of the aforesaid lock-bar at points distant from said fulcrumed end, and a fastening plate attachable to the bottom of said table leg or base so as to hold the center of the W-shaped spring in place and simultaneously serve as a guide and fulcrum for the said lock-bar.

2. A table leveler comprising a housing insertable wholly within the bottom of a table leg, a foot plug slideably mounted therein, a spring within said housing exerting outward pressure on said foot plug, a lock-bar attachable below said table leg and surrounding said foot-plug and fulcrumed at one end, and a spring attachable below'said table leg and exerting upward pressure on said lock bar at two points diametrically opposite and distant from said fulcrumed end and said foot-plug and tending to lock said foot-plug against movement in said housing.

ALBERT J. MATTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 836,303 Christensen Nov. 20, 1906 1,224,156 Ferritto May 1, 1917 1,719,435 Lowther July 2, 1929 2,313,469 Forsman Mar. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 329,012 Germany Nov. 11, 1920 557,344 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1943 

